REGIONAL CARPOOL MATCHING SYSTEMS: A SIMULATION OF THE BOSTON EXPERIENCE

In August of 1973, WBZ, a Boston radio station, launched one of the nation's first regional carpooling programs in affiliation with the Automobile Legal Association (ALA), an auto and travel firm. The author explains that the motivation of these organisations in starting the program was to provide a useful service to their main public constituency, commuters, in the face of the impending fuel shortage which was to reach near-crisis proportions in New England during the winter of 1973-74. The concept of the program involved soliciting names and work-trip data from car commuters in eastern Massachusetts and matching them with others who had similar commuting characteristics so that they might form a carpool. Over a million questionnaires were distributed. The process of commuter matching is described and discussed, leading to important implications for carpooling policy-makers. The experience of such a low ratio of applications received, some 13000 leading to the matching of about 3800 people, for example could, it is felt, indicate commuter disinterest with regional carpooling programs. /TRRL/

• Corporate Authors:

  University of British Columbia, Vancouver

  Faculty of Commerce
  Vancouver, British Columbia  Canada 
• Authors:
  • Berry, W L
• Publication Date: 1976

Language

• English

Media Info

• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: p. 25-37
• Serial:
  • LOGISTICS AND TRANSPORTATION REVIEW
  • Volume: 12
  • Issue Number: 1

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Car pooling (Railroads); Carpools; Commuting; Energy; Energy conservation; Origin and destination; Simulation; Urban areas; Work trips
• Geographic Terms: United States
• ITRD Terms: 212: Energy conservation; 687: Origin destination traffic; 9103: Simulation; 1034: Transnational network; 313: Urban area; 8122: USA
• Subject Areas: Energy; Environment; Highways; Planning and Forecasting; Public Transportation; I72: Traffic and Transport Planning;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00145400
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Transport and Road Research Laboratory (TRRL)
• Files: ITRD, TRIS
• Created Date: Apr 13 1981 12:00AM